Hitlers Last Appearance for the cameras

[Brian Von Stauffenberg]

I refer to the last film of Hitler, looking frail and scared, the question i want to ask is what happened to the young boys in the film?
Hitler is seen touching their faces and smiling at them but were they sent out to fight in the streets or were they just used in the propoganda effort, also what was the point in making this film, surely there were no cinemas still open at this point?

[Geoff Walden]

Brian,

I have seen at least one of those HJ boys on a recent TV documentary. I think it was on one of the Knopp TV series that was on ZDF in Germany, History Channel in the US. In fact, I think the History Channel is currently reshowing "Hitler's Women," and the boy (grown up, of course) was interviewed for one of these shows.

Also, a German magazine a few years ago (probably "Stern," but I'm not sure) had a photo article about one of the boys. It was about his life after 1945, and how his "15 minutes of fame" came from that film and photos of Hitler with the HJ in Berlin.

Geoff Walden

[Helly Angel]

They were (HJ kids) Members of HJ-SS Combat Unit and they were received the Iron Cross by Hitler directly. The date is March, 1945.

The kid who receive the touch of Hitler in his face is still alive. His name is Helmut Hoffman -I think- or Gruber.

[Erik E]

He was only 12 years old when he recieved the EK2. He got it for performing first aid on some wounded soldiers!

[Matt Gibbs]

The last film of Hitler shows him inspecting a number of the HJ lads AFTER they had had their awards presented to them by Artur Axmann. I have read this documented by Axmann himself, the boys were presented to the Fuhrer to be congratulated afterwards. There is a sequence of 6 photos also taken by Heinrich Hoffmann in the Chancellery garden. The young lad with the black uniform top he is seen with a hand on the shoulder is creditted as Alfred Czech. He is also seen shaking hands with Wilhelm Hubner who was awarded the EK2 for actions in Silesia. [Interestingly Hubner is also in pictures being inspected by Goebbels.] I also read that they had to stand for over an hour waiting for the Fuhrer to come out and inspect them. I am not sure how many survived but Armin Lehmann survives and wrote a book about his life at the times. He was shocked at the appearence of Hitler at that time. He stayed in Berlin on the staff of Axmann as a courier/liason at Axmanns HQ close to the Fuhrerbunker.
He stayed at the Navy radio room delivering radio messages. He lives in the US.
Regards

[James]

I have seen one edit or version of the film which clearly shows how Hitler's hand, kept behind his back, was visibly shaking as he walked along the line of boys.

[Brian Von Stauffenberg]

I think if i was in Hitlers position i too would have been shaking, he was surrounded by Russians!!!

[CabinetMinister]

HITLER, 20.04.1945

[Antti V]

Does anyone have link to that photo, where man looking like Hitler stands with some of his general (or adjuntant) in ruins of some house in Berlin few days or same day before his suicide? That photo was taken some 10-20 meters from Hitler, behind brick wall or was it pile of bricks.

[CabinetMinister]

Does anyone have link to that photo, where man looking like Hitler stands with some of his general (or adjuntant) in ruins of some house in Berlin few days or same day before his suicide? That photo was taken some 10-20 meters from Hitler, behind brick wall or was it pile of bricks.

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THE LAST PICTURES OF HITLER - April 1945




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[CabinetMinister]

The "house" was the Reichs Chancellery, located at the Voßstraße in Berlin.

[Karl]

‘Was hab ich jah wieder angestehlt…‘ dachte Herr Hitler.

Thank you for posting those. I‘ve never seen them before.

[Antti V]

Thanks CabinetMinister, just what I was looking for. That second photo I have not seen earlier.

[Brian Von Stauffenberg]

Or do these look like staged, or fake pictures? :

[Gwynn Compton]

Certainly interesting angles to look at Hitler, from the great proud warmaker in 1941 to the hunched shaken defeated Fuhrer in 1945.